THE STORY: CETCO is launching a new geosynthetic clay liner called ContinuumTM
which was designed for improved chemical resistance against high salt containing
leachates. These development efforts were undertaken as a response to proposed
stricter government regulations on the handling of coal combustion residuals (CCRs)
from coal-burning power plant. The ContinuumTM GCL technology is able to provide
orders of magnitude lower hydraulic conductivity (compared to traditional GCLs) when
exposed to chemically aggressive saline-rich CCRs.
The new governmental regulations, if imposed, will require coal-ash storage facilities
to include a liner system, similar to municipal solid-waste landfills. These new federal
storage regulations come at a time when some states are imposing tighter air
pollution limits. Since the power plants must reduce the sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide
and mercury emissions, more stringent scrubbing techniques must be used. As a
result, the byproducts from these facilities are anticipated to become more enriched
in salts such as sodium and calcium from the scrubbers. Of the expected 80 million
tons of CCRs generated annually, greater than 30% will be too “salty” to store using a
traditional bentonite based GCLs.
which was designed for improved chemical resistance against high salt containing
leachates. These development efforts were undertaken as a response to proposed
stricter government regulations on the handling of coal combustion residuals (CCRs)
from coal-burning power plant. The ContinuumTM GCL technology is able to provide
orders of magnitude lower hydraulic conductivity (compared to traditional GCLs) when
exposed to chemically aggressive saline-rich CCRs.
The new governmental regulations, if imposed, will require coal-ash storage facilities
to include a liner system, similar to municipal solid-waste landfills. These new federal
storage regulations come at a time when some states are imposing tighter air
pollution limits. Since the power plants must reduce the sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide
and mercury emissions, more stringent scrubbing techniques must be used. As a
result, the byproducts from these facilities are anticipated to become more enriched
in salts such as sodium and calcium from the scrubbers. Of the expected 80 million
tons of CCRs generated annually, greater than 30% will be too “salty” to store using a
traditional bentonite based GCLs.